


A Hard Look in the Mirror (Move)

by Inte1eon



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Rewrite, Drabble, Gen, Headcanon, Isshu-chihou | Unova Region (Pokemon), Loss, Mocking, Older Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! | Pokemon the Series: Black & White, Pokemon, Pokemon Battles, Rewrite, Self-Doubt, Self-Reflection, Short & Sweet, Sweet Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:27:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28602924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inte1eon/pseuds/Inte1eon
Summary: "I can't remember his exact words, but he said that you can learn more from defeat than victory."
Relationships: Kotetsu | Cameron & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	A Hard Look in the Mirror (Move)

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing except this idea.

That was it. Game over.

Cameron was alarmed when Bianca eliminated him in the preliminaries of the Unova League. Then again, it wasn't a surprise to those who saw his performance that round. Using Ferrothorn against Bianca's Emboar was a bad idea.

Those who mocked him said he should have considered that from the start once he came back from his battle.

"See you in Sinnoh where the Kanto League is!" one of the Trainers called out before leaving.

This was followed by laughter before one of the staff broke things up. He sat down on a bench with his Lucario, who was genuinely looking at him with concern. For once, the perky, energetic Trainer he knew was down in the dumps.

All Cameron wanted to do when he entered the Unova League was prove those who said he couldn't win the League wrong. Those who advised against this told him he wasn't ready. Cameron tended to leap before looking and lucked out on getting a license to become a Trainer. True, he got some bright ideas from time to time. However, he considered those who pointed those flaws out jerks. He is who he is, after all. Nothing can change that.

His only battle in the Unova League _proved them right._ He was going to be the laughing stock of his home city now. That he knew for sure.

"Cameron?"

Ash's concerned voice broke through his thoughts and they both looked up to see him. The youngster heard he won the Sinnoh League already. Or was it the Hoenn League? His thoughts were in a daze due to everyone's teasing. He couldn't recall things properly at the moment.

"What?" he asked with a glare. "Did you come to make fun of me, too? You already won a League, after all."

"No," Ash said. "Believe it or not, I also stumbled in my first League back home. I landed in the top sixteen because I got cocky. Ritchie managed to win because he stayed calm and knew what he was doing. He was the runner-up, but I had to admit he was better and work to improve myself. After hearing what he said to me at the end of it all, we continued our friendship."

"What did he say to you?" Cameron asked, surprised to hear those words coming from Ash's mouth.

"I can't remember his exact words, but he said that you can learn more from defeat than victory," Ash recalled. "Landing in that place forced me to take a hard look at myself. I think you need to do the same right now."

Cameron sighed at this prospect.

"Any other day, I would have considered you a jerk for saying that," he noted, Lucario placing a paw on his shoulder. "Now, I think you have a point."

He let out a "heh" in response.

"This isn't like me at all."

"Yeah, I heard those guys make fun of you, too. There are people who want to help you, though. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience."

Ash took a deep breath.

"Cameron. Will you watch me take on the rest of the League?" he requested. "I want to see how far I can go after I took on Sinnoh and won."

So, he did win the Sinnoh League, Cameron realized. The younger boy smiled and stood up, feeling calmer than usual. Lucario followed suit with a smile of his own.

"I wouldn't miss your battles for the world!" he told him, having watched him take on the Junior Cup.

Lucario nodded in agreement, having been inspired by Ash to get stronger along with his Trainer.

And something told the Aura Pokémon that things would be different after the League.


End file.
